Gallup Poll Finds Patriotism Is Declining

Published: July 5, 1994

PRINCETON, N.J., July 4—
Most Americans consider themselves patriotic but believe that pride in the country has declined, a Gallup poll has found.

Almost two-thirds of those polled described themselves as extremely patriotic (21 percent) or very patriotic (43 percent). Just 28 percent said that they are only somewhat patriotic, and 7 percent said they are not especially patriotic. But nearly three-fourths of the respondents said Americans are less patriotic today than in previous decades.

The poll was commissioned by the NBC all-talk cable network, America's Talking, to use as it started programming today. The Gallup Organization interviewed 1,013 adults by phone on June 17-19. Results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

The survey found that feelings of patriotism varied by age, with younger adults least likely to feel very patriotic.

Nearly half of those polled said the next generation of Americans would enjoy less personal freedom than the current generation. Those who are older and wealthier were more likely to see government regulations as a serious threat to freedom. Younger people and nonwhites were more likely to see lack of economic opportunity as a serious threat.